" ": You talking

' ': You thinking

* *: Narrator/Voice-off

King: Heroes ! I appreciate the efforts of your journey ! We received very little damage compared to last time. Even I cannot hide my surprise about it !! TONIGHT, WE FEAST ! ENJOY YOURSELVES TO THE FULLEST !!!

Naofumi: 'There's nothing to rejoice about... I don't have a clue how much shit went down last time, but I have got a million questions about what will happen next time. If a wave happens to take place somewhere the knights can't get to...'

Naofumi: 'This... Does that mean we can take the knights and guards with us ? I guess those dumbass heroes never used this. I hadn't known about it before, but I guess it wasn't really all that big of a deal... Just being here with all this trash pisses me off. I'd go home if I weren't getting compensated for this...'

Naofumi: What's going on, Raphtalia ?

Raphtalia: Ah... There is so much food here that I've never seen before. I'm so curious about all of the delicacies here.

Naofumi: If you're that curious about everything, then why not just eat it all ?

Raphtalia: But, if I eat too much...

Naofumi: You work more than enough, eat up. Besides, I'd like to see where's Y/n, haven't seen him since we got here.

Raphtalia: He was throwing incantations at his food, and making bizarre faces while eating. Last time I saw him, he was crying buckets after drinking some water... He told everything was fine, so I let it be.

Naofumi: Pearl Jam... It's okay, he's just developing a new spell, nothing to worry about.

Raphtalia: S... Say, Lord Naofumi... Do you prefer... Chubby girls ?

Naofumi: What... ? I neither like nor dislike them. Getting a little fat now won't hurt you in battle, so what's the problem ?

Raphtalia: I-I told you, I'm not fat ! I've grown up !!

Naofumi: You're still a growing kid ! Eat as much as you want, it'll save us some money.

Raphtalia: ... That's right... I forgot that's how you were.

Naofumi: Huh, what ?

Raphtalia: Let us eat together ! I'm sure it's probably absolutely delicious !

Naofumi: N-No, right now, I'm...

Raphtalia: It will save us some money.

Naofumi: *KA-CHING* Ugh...

Raphtalia: This is wonderful, my lord ! Well ? Doesn't it taste amazing ?

Naofumi: ... No, it doesn't.

Motoyasu: Ah ! There he is ! DON'T MOVE ONE STEP FROM THERE, NAOFUM-ARG !!

He tripped over something before reaching Naofumi. Meanwhile I was holding the end of a thin green thread in my hand.

"Better watch your steps here, we don't want anything bad happening to one of our precious heroes, right ?"

Motoyasu: Gh ! Don't try to change subject ! I HEARD ABOUT IT ! I HEARD ABOUT HOW THE GIRL WHO IS WITH YOU, RAPHTALIA, IS YOUR SLAVE !!!

"You know, the fact that we're just in front of you makes it so we can hear you when you speak at normal volumes, you don't have to yell like that."

Naofumi: You're bringing this up now... ? Yeah, that's right, she's my slave. Don't touch her so freely.

Motoyasu: Why you... PEOPLE DON'T BELONG TO ANYONE ELSE !! LET'S NOT FORGET THAT WE, PEOPLE FROM A DIFFERENT WORLD, WON'T BE FORGIVEN FOR SUCH BEHAVIOR !!

Naofumi: Won't be forgiven... For what ? that's your logic, not mine.

Motoyasu: Wha... Y/n, say something ! How could you accept that ?!

"Who do you think I am, his mom ? As far as I'm concerned, slavery is legal in this country, right ?"

Motoyasu: You... LET'S HAVE A DUEL, NAOFUMI !! IF I WIN, YOU'LL RELEASE HER !!

Raphtalia: Please, wait a moment ! I'm-

Naofumi: Raphtalia !

King: I heard all about it. A hero who would dare to use a slave... Of course it would be none other than the criminal Shield hero !

'And now the rest of the assholes just shows up, what are the odds ?'

King: In comparison, lord Motoyasu is a compassionate man, I will permit this duel.

Naofumi: Whoa, how about not deciding for me ? I don't gain anything from this duel ! Besides, without her, I can't fight...

King: What a pity, this girl... It would appear that she suffers from her curse if she does not stand by you. It pains me to say this, but I'll have her restrained for the time being.

King: Don't worry, upon lord Motoyasu's win, we will remove that curse of yours, posthaste. Once the court magician attend to it, it will simply be a matter of time.

Naofumi: Wait...

King: The duel will take place in the castle gardens !

Naofumi: Listen to me !!

Motoyasu: Naofumi, you can't be thinking of turning down this duel, right ? You coward !

Motoyasu: Ugh...

'Scary...'

Naofumi: Fine... Whatever. If I win, you'll give her back to me, right ?

Motoyasu: ... yeah. IF, that is.

Crowd: Pfft. The shield hero, against the spear hero ? What's he going on about ? How's he going to win ?

'Seriously, WHAT do they have against the Shield ?!'

Naofumi: I'll say this one last thing... We didn't have any people who would fight with us, so that's why we bought a slave...

"Besides, does this country forbid slave trading ? Are the authorities cracking down on it ? We can't be the only ones owning a slave."

Naofumi: But if you're going to keep saying we're the ones in the wrong here,

"That's the spirit. Now, Naofumi... Take his spear, and SHOVE IT UP HIS ASS !!"

King: Henceforth, the duel between the hero of the spear and the hero of the shield will begin ! A loss will occur should a competitor either be driven into a corner, or concede to a loss himself !

Motoyasu: The spear against the shield, who will prevail ? I think everyone has the answer already. You're in the wrong, and I'll bring you to your knees for Raphtalia's sake, tout de suite !

King: You may know, BEGIN !!

Not wasting any time, Motoyasu immediately leaped forward, trying to end this duel as fast as possible, only to be met and blocked by Naofumi's 'Light metal' shield.

Motoyasu: Hmph ! Not bad ! I suppose that's to be expected of the Shield hero !

Naofumi: ... Do you remember ? In Japanese, the word "contradiction", is written with the kanjis "Shield" and "Spear". It's also the best word to describe this duel. The spear is a weapon meant for attacking, while the shield is a protective gear meant to protect oneself. Their purposes are different from the very start.

Motoyasu: What are you blabbering about ?!

Naofumi: It may be a fight between an overpowered spear and an overpowered shield, but since you won't be able to pierce my defense, you already lost !

Motoyasu: You're forgetting something. Not a single person here will accept an outcome like that !! TURBULENT THRUST !

Motoyasu: So, how's that for you ?!

Naofumi: I said this before, but I have no intention, TO JUST LOSE !

Myne: He simply can't accept when he's lost... A punch from him wouldn't hurt or even itch...

"I agree... You're talking about Motoyasu, right ?"

Motoyasu: Ow... Ouch ! THAT HURTS !!

Myne: It's a balloon ! What's that doing here ?

Naofumi: I just replenished my supply in the fields. They're all nice and fresh !

Motoyasu: You... This is a one-and-one duel !

Naofumi: Yeah, so ? What of it ?

Motoyasu: SO FIGHT FAIR AND SQUARE !!

Motoyasu: AAAAHHH !!

Myne: Lord Motoyasu ?!

Naofumi: AIR STRIKE SHIELD !! SHIELD PRISON !!

Motoyasu: Ow, ow ow ow OW !! Come on, knock it off !! DAMN IT !! It actually hurts !!

Myne: Wait, what is this ? The shield hero is pushing him back ?

King: Something about this isn't making sense... He's just got a shield ! How can he possibly hold his own against the Spear hero ?!

"You bunch of pansies just shut up now ! Go, Naofumi, show him who's boss here !!"

Naofumi: 'yeah, if I keep this up, I could win this !' Just accept that you've lost. If you don't want to show everyone your miserable, pathetic self anymore, that is.

Motoyasu: Who's going to surrender ? It does hurt, but those are only some balloons...

Naofumi: All right then.

Motoyasu: STOP IIIIIIIIIIIIIIT !!!

'Wait what ?! What happened ?! Was that magic ?!'

Naofumi: 'That woman... What did she do ?! Did she use her magic ?!'

Motoyasu: You used some weird trick, but this duel is my win !

Crowd: He won... THE SPEAR HERO WON !!

"Hold it right there !! Someone just interfered in their 1-on-1 duel ! It doesn't count !!"

Motoyasu: Haaa ? What are you even talking about now ?

Naofumi: One of your party members just attacked me with a spell !! That's why I...

Motoyasu: Why you fell over ?! Ha, what a bunch of sore losers, you sure know how to whine.

Naofumi: BULLSHIT !! All of you saw what she did, didn't you ?! It should be obvious what happened wasn't natural !!

Motoyasu: ... is that true ?

Myne: Don't be fooled by their outlandish claims !! To speak such slander towards lord Motoyasu after your loss, how unsightly !

King: Indeed. It is just as you say, daughter of mine. Malty !

Myne: As expected of the hero I first chose ! You possess true strength !

Motoyasu: Well, Ha ha ha... Man, I was really surprised when I learned that you were a princess !

Myne: Yes ! I, too, want to contribute to world peace, so...

'I see... So that's how it was... All that bullshit that keeps happening to us... Everything was made up by that royal family !! '

Naofumi: 'The incognito princess who pinned false charges on me in order to such up to her favorite hero, and tat king covering up the truth without a second thought to protect his daughter... !!'

Y/n/Naofumi: ''

Myne: Well then, as promised, let's remove this poor girl's curse ! Gentlemen !

Naofumi: 'All she had to do was tell that skirt-chasing Motoyasu... "You have to save that poor slave girl that the two evil heroes are holding against her will !" '

'And just like that, her and her future husband's name, will be passed down through history... Her own heroic tale together with the Spear hero... Of "the slave girl who was saved from the evil heroes"...'

Naofumi: 'In legends, the greater the evil, the more the hero shines...'

Y/n/Naofumi: 'And we're that evil...'

King: Come, sir Motoyasu. The slave girl you saved is awaiting you !

'The king and those guys who treat the tragedies of the waves like it's someone else's problem... The heroes who still think this is all a game...'

Naofumi: 'The people who pretend they didn't see anything... And even Raphtalia... They're all laughing...'

(S A T I S F A C T I O N S L A P)

Motoyasu: R... Raphtalia ?!

Myne: You semi-human trash, how dare you lay a hand on...

Raphtalia: When did I ever... HAVE I EVER ASKED FOR YOUR HELP ?

Motoyasu: ... Eh ?! But you're a slave, aren't you ?! Wasn't he abusing you ?

Raphtalia: Naofumi only used the curse when I was too afraid to fight for myself ! They never made me do things I wasn't able to !

Motoyasu: That's obviously wrong !!

Raphtalia: Naofumi can't fight ! So someone has to fight for him...

Motoyasu: There's no need for you to do it ! He just wants to use you until you're a wreck !

Raphtalia: They protect me from monsters when I need help ! They let me sleep when I get tired !

Naofumi: 'Huh ? What is she saying ? ... No. I can hear her, but... I don't want to listen to it.'

Raphtalia: Tell me, would you ever reach out to a filthy, sick slave ?

Motoyasu: Eh ?

Naofumi: 'I want to hurry up and run away from this place..'

Raphtalia: Naofumi provided me with proper meals and medicine that was effective against my illness... Using up his precious money and ingredients... Would you able to do that ?

Motoyasu: O-Of course !

Raphtalia: then there should be a slave. Someone other than me, beside you right now.

Raphtalia: Lord Naofumi.

Naofumi: ... KH ! STAY BACK !!

Raphtalia: I knew about... the rumors saying that you were a horrible hero who assaulted his partner...

Motoyasu: That's right ! I'm sure you're one of his victims too !

"Motoyasu, Motoyasu, Motoyasu... If you don't shut up that gaping trashcan you're calling a mouth right here and now, I swear to every deities in this whole universe, "

Naofumi: Stop ! Don't touch me ! I don't want a girl to touch me... I... i'm innocent...

Raphtalia: ... Can you only believe in a slave who can't disobey you ? Please calm your anger. I wish for you to lend me an ear, so that I can have you believe...

Naofumi: Shut up...

Raphtalia: Even if the whole world tries to blame you... I'll keep saying this as many times as it takes ! You're innocent !

Naofumi: Huh ?

Raphtalia: I believe in you, Naofumi !!

Naofumi: Who... Who are you ?

Raphtalia: Huh... ?! It's me ! Raphtalia !!

Naofumi: No way no way no way ! I mean, Raphtalia's a kid !

Raphtalia: It's the perfect occasion, so I'll tell you. There is a reason why Semi-Humans are discriminated as monsters. When we raise our level during childhood, our bodies will rapidly grow in proportion to be the most efficient it can be. So I'm mentally a child, but physically, I'm mostly an adult.

Raphtalia: Do you still not believe me ? Then please, place the curse on me again. Please put proof on me, proof that from hereupon, I will be your sword... Mighty shield hero who saved me, please !